By CRAIG ADKINS
For The Reporter
The regular season has flown right by and we’re ready for the state tournament to start. But before that can happen, regular season finales are the focal point this week, despite teams now knowing who their first-round opponent is in sectional play.
Noblesville aims to grab that elusive first Hoosier Crossroads Conference win over Avon. Fishers is looking to rebound on the road at Zionsville. Guerin Catholic shoots for a third straight win against Lafayette Central Catholic on the road and Carmel hopes to turn a corner at home against Lawrence Central to cap off the regular season.
Avon (2-6, 1-5) at Noblesville (2-6, 0-6)
The Millers and Orioles close out the regular season tonight at Beaver Stadium. This is the 24th meeting in the all-time series with Avon holding a 19-4 mark. Avon won last year 14-7 and Noblesville won in 2022 in a 43-41 thriller at home.
Avon got its first HCC win against Zionsville at home last week, 21-14.
Noblesville gave Brownsburg the eye-opener it wasn’t expecting last week. The Millers had a 15-0 lead at halftime, but the host Bulldogs staged a second half comeback for a 22-18 win.
Five of the Millers’ six losses are by seven points or less and two are by four or less, which could have potentially flipped Noblesville’s record.
Brody Gump leads a group of ball carriers making a difference. Gump has rushed 100 times for 868 yards and six TDs. Ty Holmes has 365 on 83 and leads the team with nine touchdowns. Quarterback Max Miller has 68 carries for 300 with a TD and has also thrown for 421 yards and three scores.
Boston College commit Israel Oladipupo has scored seven TDs and rushed for 217 yards on 59 rushes. Bowling Green signee Aiden Brewer has caught eight passes for 231 yards and a TD.
Caden Lydle has made 21 of 22 extra-points and is 2 for 2 on field goals, with a long of 37.
3A No. 12 Guerin Catholic (4-4) at 2A No. 1 Lafayette Central Catholic (7-0)
The Golden Eagles head north to Lafayette tonight to face the top-ranked team in Class 2A in the Central Catholic Knights. Guerin has won six of the past 10 in the series, including two in a row, but Central Catholic leads the first 17 meetings 11-6.
The Knights had no trouble at all on the road in Week 8 at Benton Central, dominating the Bison, 76-0.
Guerin got off to a quick 21-0 lead in the first on the way to a big road win over Terre Haute North, 41-18.
Malcolm Houze added three more touchdown passes to his stat-filled season. Hayden Cler was back in action and caught two, while Trevor Macey grabbed the third. Kolbe Klee got his first 100-yard rushing game (102) and Houze ran in two scores.
On the season so far, Houze has passed for 1,800 yards, completing 143 of 238 passes (60 percent), good for 22 TDs and five interceptions. Jack Linden has rushed for 673 on 131 carries for five TDs. Houze also has 7 TDs and 317 yards.
Hayden Cler leads the receiving corps with 57 catches for 758 yards and 10 TDs.
Aidan Horn has been clutch with 384 yards on 27 and Trevor Macey 272 on 18, with the two combining for 10 scores.
Nick Wilson has converted 28 of 29 extra-points and 4 out of 5 on field goals.
Lawrence Central (3-5) at Carmel (3-5)
The Greyhounds and Bears continue the rivalry they had as MIC foes. Tonight’s game will be the 44th meeting overall with Carmel leading 26-16-1. LC won last year, 21-17, snapping a 20-game winning streak in the series for Carmel.
The Bears lost on the road last week at Ben Davis, 27-7. Carmel also went on the road and lost to Warren Central, 32-3.
The Greyhounds got their points in the second quarter, when Lukas Krishtanmoorthy kicked a 20-yard field goal. Carmel was frustrated by the Warriors’ defense, which held the Hounds to three yards rushing and 37 yards passing.
Anthony Coellner has been a solid signal caller, completing 150 of 252 (59 percent) for 1,705 yards to go with 16 TD passes. Jacob Bellin (39 catches, 484 yards), Nathan Williams (35-465) and Dominic Shockley (33-345) have been quite the trio of pass catchers, combining for 12 touchdowns.
Andrew Pemberton leads the run game with 412 yards on 68 carries (6.1 average) and three scores.
Lukas Krishnamoorthy has made 16 of 19 extra-points and 9 out of 10 on field goals. Matthew Obermeier has also made 6 for 7 on extra-points and one of his two field goals.
Fishers (4-4, 3-3) at Zionsville (3-5, 2-4)
The Tigers will close out the regular season in Boone County at Zionsville. Fishers owns an 11-7 record in the first 18 meetings, including the last three seasons. In 2023, the Tigers won 34-14.
Zionsville dropped its third game in a row last week at Avon, 21-14. Fishers got overwhelmed at home by Westfield, 46-12.
Fishers started off 3-1 and were 5-2 but have lost three of four to even their record at 4-4.
Gage Sturgill started off the season under center for the Tigers with 1,156 yards, going 83 of 135 with 13 TDs and just two interceptions. In the last month, Caden Hill 32 of 71 for 454 yards, throwing three touchdowns.
Ryan Thembulembu (326 yards) and Brady Griffits (242) have each carried 67 times and combine for five touchdowns on the ground.
Stanford commit JonAnthony Hall has 60 receptions for 830 yards and nine TDs, while Thembulembu has six touchdowns in his 15 catches.
Jon Tangara has sailed 22 of his 26 extra-point attempts through and drilled 5 of 5 in field goals.